Drivers and teams – Rossi opens an exit door at Yamaha Petronas – Used YAMAHA

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Rossi opens an exit door at Yamaha Petronas

Riders and teams - Rossi opens an exit door at Yamaha Petronas - Used YAMAHA

Valentino Rossi evokes his withdrawal from the motorcycle Grands Prix if his results do not improve in 2020, but plans a back-up plan if he loses his handlebars in the official Yamaha team: join the Malaysian team SRT-Petronas ! Explanations.

With only two forays on the second step of the podium in 19 races, it’s an understatement to say that Valentino Rossi’s is disappointing: the Italian has never been able to fight for the victory, which has eluded him now for more. two-year-old (Dutch GP 2017).

  • MNC of December 24, 2019 : Rossi has fun in F1 and wins in Auto Endurance
  • MNC special file :

Worse: his seventh place overall is his worst on a Yamaha, tied with his first season at Ducati in 2011! And if the M1 is not the fastest Moto GP, its potential nevertheless allows for better performances as demonstrated by the regular bursts of Quartararo and the comeback of Viñales during the last third of the season..

Admittedly, continuing to occupy the forefront at 40 is already an achievement: Valentino Rossi is still part of the elite, even if it is more and more difficult. Not to mention her fame which has not aged ! 

Lucid, the genius of the Alpages nevertheless knows he is up against the wall: his employer and his image will not stand another bad season. By his own admission, the expiration of his contract with Yamaha at the end of 2020 would rhyme with his inevitable retirement from sport….

"You have to be more competitive than last year, otherwise it is better to stop"

"I would like to continue, but let’s be realistic: we have to be more competitive than last year, otherwise it is better to stop," he reveals to the Gazzetta dello Sport, while ensuring that he does not feel any pressure for his departure from from Yamaha.

Riders and teams - Rossi opens an exit door at Yamaha Petronas - Used YAMAHA

"Yamaha believes in my competitiveness, they are positive towards me and it is an honor for me: it is a great luxury for a rider to stop when he wants to. Usually, you are kicked out!", Laughs he before making a confession that says a lot about reality.

"I would like to stay where I am… But we are three pilots for two places", analyzes the Doctor, referring to the emergence of the prodigy Fabio Quartararo – 5th overall with six pole positions and seven podiums – that Yamaha absolutely holds to keep in its ranks. And we understand them: Marquez himself designates the young French driver as a contender for the title !

If Fabio continues to progress in 2020, his access to the official M1 would be logical and deserved. Problem: if Rossi does not hang up, Yamaha will have to "sacrifice" Viñales, who is to date the only one to win the M1! Smart, n ° 46 has therefore put together a back-up plan…

When Rossi suggests swapping his handlebars with Quartararo !

"So we have to think of a third alternative: for me, even if it’s Petronas, it doesn’t look like a bad team and I don’t see a big difference with the official team", reveals- he does. "But maybe Viñales will leave or Quartararo will change bikes. Who knows?"

Riders and teams - Rossi opens an exit door at Yamaha Petronas - Used YAMAHA

In short: Valentino Rossi begins – without seeming to touch it – negotiations with the team of Fabio Quartararo, suggesting to exchange his handlebars for his! Sure that the Malaysian structure will study with interest this unexpected candidacy for a team with only one year of experience in MotoGP !

The "Rossi-Morbidelli" association at Petronas would also have the advantage of bringing together the student and the teacher, since Italian-Brazilian comes from the VR46 Academy stream. And for the Sepang Racing Team, having Valentino Rossi race would ensure extraordinary media exposure. ! 

The circle would thus come full circle, while preserving appearances: Yamaha does not become the "builder-who-turned-Rossi", while the latter pursues his career with fewer obligations of results since in a private team. A sort of "golden parachute" for the most brilliant pilot of the modern era of Grand Prix ! 

It remains to be seen whether the SRT Petronas team will be willing to pull the string, with the risk of being associated with the decline of the nine-time Grand Prix world champion….

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